Draft-regulator



(No Model.)

H. STUTSMAN. DRAFT REGULATOR.

No. 557,715. Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

M. Pncrro-umu. WASHINGTON 0 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIEXRY STUTSMAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

DRAFT-REG U LATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,715, dated April '7, 1896.

Application filed June 8, 1895. Serial No. 552,154. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY STUTSMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Draft- Regulator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam-boilers of that class provided with firetubes which are arranged in substantially a horizontal position, and has for its object to prolong the life and usefulness of this class of devices and to protect them from the injury attendant upon the opening and closing of the furnace-door for replenishing the fire, poking the same, or for any other purpose. It is a matter of common knowledge that upon opening the furnace-door of a locomotive or other type of steam-boiler the heavy drafts cause a large amount of cold air to enter the furnace, thus checking the steaming qualities of the boiler as well as working injury to the boiler by causing leaks due to the sudden cooling and contraction thereof. The present invention aims to obviate these objections and to provide a structure which can be easily applied to any boiler now in use and at a comparatively low cost considering the resultant advantages and the increased usefulness of the boiler, and to maintain the steam at a normal condition even when the furnace-door is open for a short interval for any required purpose.

The improvement consists in the novel construction and disposition of the draft-regulator, which at all times is under the control of the fireman, whereby provision is had for checking the draft through the furnace and boiler usually entering by way of the furnacedoor when the latter is open; and for a full understanding of the details of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steam-boiler of the locomotive type having the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a section on the line X X of Fig. 1, looking to the right. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in elevation, of a damper.

The boiler 1 is horizontal, and is provided at one end with the furnace or fire-box 2 and at its opposite end with the smoke-box 3, the

latter being arranged in the rear of the firetubes and having a smoke-stack at extending therefrom. The nozzle 5 for creating a forced draft through the furnace and boiler is located in the smoke-box 3, and its discharge end terminates about opposite the receiving end of the smoke-stack 4: and above the plane of the fire-tubes 6. This nozzle may be of any pattern and may have connection with the steamspace of the boiler or with the exhaust of the engine, as found most convenient and whichever may be found to give the best results. Similar dampers 7 are located at diametrically opposite points of the smoke-box 3, and comprise a frame 8, which is shaped to conform to the outline of the smoke-box, so as to form a close joint therewith, and to which it is attached by rivets orbolts in the usual manner, and this frame, 8 has a central portion which is raised and provided with a series of openings 9. A circular plate 10 is located opposite the central portion of the frame 8 and has openings formed therein corresponding in position, size, and number with the openin gs 9, and which register therewith when the damper is open to its fullest extent. A rod or shaft 11 is journaled near its ends in bearings provided at a middle point of the frames 8, and the plates 10 are secured upon the ends of the said rod or shaft exterior to the frames 8, so as to revolve therewith. A crank 12 is secured upon one end of the rod or shaft 11, and is connected by means of a rod 13 with an operating-lever 14 conveniently located and within easy reach of the front end of the boiler. This lever l lhas the usual hand-latch 15, which is adapted to cooperate with the notched segment 16, so as to hold the lever 14 and consequently the dampers at the required position.

The capacity of the dampers 7 when full open is about equal to the capacity of the smokestack 4. Hence when the furnace-door 17 is open the heavy draft will continue through the smoke-stack, the air being drawn in through the dampers 7 and not through the furnacedoor opening, as usual, thereby obviating the injury resulting from a sudden cooling of the boiler by the rush of cold air therein through the furnace-door. By having the dampers '7 oppositely disposed the draft is uniformly distributed and the necessity for the use of a baffle-plate opposite the fire-tubes 6 obviated. The rod or shaft 11 connects the plates 10. Hence the two dampers are adapted to be operated simultaneously and by one movement of the operating-lever 14, as will be readily appreciated.

Inasmuch as the invention is susceptible of general application, it is to be understood that in the adapting of the same for the particular requirement various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is A fine and tubular boiler having a smokebox in the rear of the fire-tubes and having a smoke-stack extending therefrom, in combination with frames secured to the sides of the boiler opposite the smoke-box and at diametrically-opposite points, said frames having central bearings and openings surrounding the bearings, a rod extending through the smoke-box and journaled near its ends in the aforesaid bearings, plates secured to the end portions of the rod exterior to the said frames and bearing against the outer sides of the latter, and provided with corresponding openings thereto, and a crank secured upon one end of the said rod and under the control of the attendant, whereby the said rod can be turned in its bearings to simultaneously move the plates connected therewith, substantially as set forth for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY STUTSMAN.

\Vitnesses:

S. W. MARKs, J. L. -WELLs. 

